MARION township, organized in 1858, received the name of its village, which was founded in
1855-6. The first settlement made in the township occured in April 1854. The first settlers there
were Alfred Kinney, Levi Phelps, Nathan Phelps, Eleazer Phelps and George Mills.

Seventeen states of the Union have counties of this name, and it is borne also by townships
and villages or cities of twenty-five states, in honor of Francis Marion (b. 1732, d. 1795), of South Carolina,
a distinguished general in the Revolutionary War.

This township is bounded on the west by Rochester, by Pleasant Grove on the south, on the
east by Eyota, and on the north by Haverhill. The township was first settled in 1854. The Kinney, Phelps and Mills
families were the first to locate within its boundaries. Messrs. Lull, McCaleb, Fulkerson, were also among the
early settlers. The first religious service was held in 1854. The little assembly was addressed by Rev. Predmore,
who then resided in Iowa.

The township was organized in 1858, John Case being the first chairman of supervisors, and E. F. Fry the first
town clerk. The first postoffice was established in 1856, L. G. Dudley officiating as postmaster.

The first wedding in the township occurred in 1856, the contracting parties being Jacob Bonham,
now a prominent merchant at Rochester, and Miss Letitia Phelps. In the winter of 1856-7 a young girl was frozen
to death a short distance from Marion. Her body was not found for many days after. In 1857 a stranger was accidentally
shot, and his funeral was the first to occur in the township.

The soil of Marion is mostly sandy loam, and is very rich and productive. A strip of sandy
soil extends across the township nearly a mile in width. The timber supply is mostly in Pleasant Grove township,
Root river affording an abundance.